The hustle and bustle that has marked Jinnah Ground for the past few days was nowhere to be seen on Thursday morning, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan was scheduled to make an appearance.
The election camps run by the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) were shut down as the party leadership called off all campaigning and were busy preparing for Khan’s arrival.
The barriers leading to Jinnah Ground were left open and the MQM activists, who are usually deployed there for security, were sitting on the sides. “Our leader Altaf Hussain had asked us to welcome PTI with flowers so we will abide by our chief’s orders,” said one of the guards. “Even if they abuse us, we will stay calm.”
A large crowd of MQM supporters had gathered outside Jinnah Ground, leaving one side open for the PTI rally. The MQM representatives tried their best to keep the crowd under control but many people were heard protesting. “Khan calls us living corpses, how can we stay calm?”
A large crowd of MQM supporters had gathered outside Jinnah Ground, leaving one side open for the PTI rally. The MQM representatives tried their best to keep the crowd under control but many people were heard protesting. “Khan calls us living corpses, how can we stay calm?”
Some MQM Supporters were scene abusing PTI supporters, when they were leaving for Karimabad, where Imran Khan later said few words and thanked Karachi for their warm welcome.
"We were waiting for him [Khan] but all he ended up with was a photo session outside Jinnah Ground", Waseem Akhtar said.
As a gesture of this new ‘friendship’ between the two parties, Farookh Sattar even hugged a young PTI activist who was wearing a green and red scarf around his neck. “The colours you are wearing are also our colours,” said Sattar, referring to the similar colours on both parties’ flags. Despite these apparent friendly gestures, the organizers on both ends made sure the crowds stayed separate to avoid any clashes.
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